Rhein on Energy and Climate

For decades European countries have taxed gasoline, diesel and heating fuels on the simple basis of volume; and tax rates varied substantially among EU member countries beyond commonly agreed minimal rates. The European Commission finally wants to replace this system by a more coherent one based on the energy content. By the same occasion, it… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Since the Libyan uprising began on February 17th in Tripoli – with the massacre of a delegation from Benghazi demanding more freedom and participation in government – the situation for Ghaddafi and his entourage has gotten worse and worse. The UNSEC resolution and the terrifying air strikes on military positions around Tripoli have started undermining… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Syria will be the most repressive regime surviving in the Mediterranean after the hoped-for end of the Gaddafi clan. Since 1967 the “Assad Dynasty” has been in control of the country. An all-pervasive secret police and a powerful army have been able to impose “stability” ever since the Hama massacre in 1982. After the revolts… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

In the last two years our perception about energy and climate policy has undergone profound change: Global climate change has ceased to be the major concern. Resource and energy scarcities have become more urgent and concrete issues to address. The hopes for concluding an effective international climate agreement have almost evaporated. Instead, the major actors… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

With the necessary political backing the EU has always been able to produce hat tricks. This time the taxation on profits of the corporations operating across the EU are the target. On March 11th, the heads of government of the 17 Euro-zone countries had invited the Commission to submit proposals for a harmonisation of the… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The hopes for Europe speaking and acting with one voice in the world that had been nourished with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty and the installation of the European External Action Service have taken a serious battering over the UNSEC vote on a no-fly zone over Libya March 17th. The four EU… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

At its meeting of February 4th 2011 the European Council has approved an EU energy strategy for the next 10 years, containing the long-overdue completion of the EU energy market, including electricity and gas inter-connections. It has invited the Commission and the 27 ministers in charge of energy policy to adopt the necessary legislative acts… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

Gasoline and fuel prices have reached their highest level since the summer of 2007 when the oil price had peaked at $ 147/barrel. American consumers suffer more from the hike than Europeans, who are shielded by the revaluation of the Euro and high excise taxes softening the repercussions on fuel/gasoline prices. But US drivers having… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein

The retiring President of the German Central Bank, Axel Weber, has most recently warned German citizens that the recent and still ongoing German “boom” will be followed by meagre years with the Gross National Product growing by a mere one percent annually, leaving very little room for wage increases. His words echo a similar call… » read more

Posted by Eberhard Rhein